Slow cooked roast chicken

This is by way of a mental note on how to do this. You do not get crispy skin and you can't stuff it, you can't even carve it as it falls apart because it is so tender, but it saves oven space when catering for lots of people and the breast is never dry. I keep my leftover rosemary and thyme in the freezer, and use that for this chicken recipe. I use the resulting stock in my Carrot and Lentil soup. The carrots and stock prevent the chicken sticking to the bottom.

Equipment

slow cooker big enough to take your chicken
frying pan big enough to take your chicken
probe thermometers are ideal for cooking meats

Ingredients

A chicken, no giblets
A fresh unwaxed lemon
Rosemary
Thyme
Two carrots
Chicken stock cube

Instructions

Peel and end the carrots and lay in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Fry the whole chicken in the pan. If you use a non-stick pan, don't bother with any oil. We're just browning the skin for flavour, not cooking it. It takes around 5 minutes.
Chop the lemon into 4 pieces and stick that and the rosemary and thyme inside the cavity.
Lay the chicken breast side down on the carrots.
Make up the stock cube with half the water required and pour over the chicken.
See table below for cooking times and settings.
If you have a cooking thermometer, poke it into the thickest part of the breast. It should read 75C or 165F, otherwise do the usual knife test
Fish out the chicken, it's rather tender!

These times and weights are for reference but please note, all appliances vary and your mileage may vary, please make sure the chicken is properly cooked before eating.

Weight (kg)	Weight (lb)	Serves*	Time on high	Time on low	Time on high then low
1.4 kg	3 lb	5	3 hours	6 hours	1, 4 hours
1.8 kg	4 lb	6	3.5 hours	7 hours	1, 5 hours
2.2 kg	5 lb	7	4.5-5 hours	8 hours	1.5, 5.5 hours

* when served with trimmings, and not feeding hungry gannets such as rugby players

This page was last updated by Mad Hatter on 12th May 2001.